Maximo Ghosts To Glory

Graphics-wise the game is very strong. The animations are smooth, the textures are rich, and the environments are detailed. The sound is an absolute joy, the effects are humorous, and the music is fantastic. Tommy Tallarico Studios has done an excellent job taking the melodies from the original game and creating updated variations that are equally memorable. Although some will find the gameplay repetitive and many will think the boss fights are too easy, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory offers an excellent 15 to 20 hours of platform goodness. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Great 3-D update of a 2-D arcade classic
• A nice variety of weapons and moves
• Fantastic music

• Boss fights are on the easy side
• Gameplay can get repetitive

Graphics-wise the game is very strong. The animations are smooth, the textures are rich, and the environments are detailed. The sound is an absolute joy, the effects are humorous, and the music is fantastic. Tommy Tallarico Studios has done an excellent job taking the melodies from the original game and creating updated variations that are equally memorable. Although some will find the gameplay repetitive and many will think the boss fights are too easy, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory offers an excellent 15 to 20 hours of platform goodness. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Great 3-D update of a 2-D arcade classic
• A nice variety of weapons and moves
• Fantastic music

• Boss fights are on the easy side
• Gameplay can get repetitive

Maximo is the 4th installment in Capcom's Ghosts and Goblins series which began on the original NES as a 2-D side scrolling action game. Maximo is the first in the series to go to a 3-D environment and it is done very well. The environment is very well detailed, to ripples in the water, to plants moving from the wind when you jump near them, a lot of attention was given to the detail.

The story is fairly simple and straight forward. The classic save the princess from the evil dude (Archiles). Maximo's kingdom has been taken over by his former advisor and friend, and Archiles also took Maximo's girl and married her. Since taking Maximo's kingdom Archiles seems to have become power crazy. He uses a drill type scepter and pulls spirits from the underworld to use as his undead army.

If you have never played any of the other games in this series you will not be lost. Your goal is fairly easy to see, and the gameplay is something that you can jump right into. It seems to hearken back to gameplay of old, mixed with Next Gen. graphics and a fantastic 3-D world.

The game is by no means easy. While not as hard as the original Ghosts and Goblins, it still offers even the most seasoned veteran a good challenge. And for even more challenge each level has a "mastery" percentage. Meaning it gives you a percentage of how much you have found in that particular level, so even if you got through a level there may still be more to find. According to the manual there is a bonus at the end of the game if you have mastered all the levels, which would be a tough task, but one that would be entertaining.

The music is the music from the old games, just updated and revamped a little which was a good thing to me because I like hearing the music from my youth again. But even if you do not know what that music is, it's still enjoyable music that does not detract from the gameplay at all. I personally think the music is very fitting and good.

I would only not recommend this game to very young children. While the game is not scary, it could be a bit frightening to young children because of monsters in the game. But for anyone probably 12 and over I would say that there would be no problems. But even though this game has a teen rating, it still is a lot of fun for us who haven't been teenagers in quite some time.

If you are an adventure game fan, who likes the next gen graphics, with an old time game feel then I think you would really enjoy Maximo. It kind of reminds me of Pitfall 3-D for the PSX, it has close to that type of feel. With the jumping over pits, slashing at monsters waiting for you, or popping up from underneath you. Collecting coins, trying not to get hit.

It's a very fun game and I have nothing but good things to say about it. I don't think too many people will be disappointed in this game if they give it a chance.


A great game   August 7, 2002
S. Rhodes
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

First of all, if you're playing stuff like MGS2 and GTA3 and just tossed your NES and SNES now then this game sure as hell isn't for you!

Maximo is like an Action/Adventure game we don't get anymore. So what if the game is just hack and slash! From all the previews I read of this game that is what I expected. So what if they're too may enemies, no one complained about that in the Contra series or any other game like this.

The game presents a great challenge in a light I haven't seen since the good ol days of my NES. But even if the game is a good challenge, its nothin to complain or get excited about. Once you realize how easy it is to battle enemies you'll feel strange knowing you ever lost to them in the first place. But the other disappointment with the difficulty is that bosses are a bit easy (but to be truthful what game actually has a tough boss nowadays on the PS2?)

I was not in any way disappointed with this game, and after reading all the bad reviews that people gave it I almost didn't get it. But then when I heard it was an old fashioned Action/Adventure game you can't resist.

Don't listen to all these bad reviews (they're mostly just complaining anyway).

The gameplay is fun and interesting but some of it can get really annoying sometimes like when you die and then when the game over toll keeps increasing making it harder to continue. The game is great and exciting for an Action/Adventure gamer.

The game was good in the aspect of graphics and sound. The music is so good and gets you into the game. The Voice acting is top notch. While the story is the basic "Save the princess and restore peace to the land" stores I had no problem with it this time (as IF, HOW MANY OLD CLASSIC GAMES HAD THAT!!! Mario also comes to mind.) The game is funner and presents a good challenge but its more about skill then difficulty. The game doesn't even get hard until the fourth world!

OVERALL
Positive:
+Great Graphics and Sound

+A great game for the old school gamer and action/adventurer
+Good combat system
+Top notch voice acting
+Good gameplay
+Good challenge but not for a veteran

Negative
-Gamers more fond of the "Next Generation Systems" (PS2, Gamecube, XBOX) will not be very pleased with the retro aspect
-Bosses are too easy
-The same old "Rescue the princess and restore peace to the land story" that we've heard since the beginning of time
-Those who don't like Action/Adventure games will be bored and then killed by hordes of enemies


Great Game!   February 17, 2002
ePPY (Seattle, WA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I love this game, not only is it fun to play it's a challenge. It has all the feel of the old 2D adventure games of the past including the horky music and sounds, but with the power of PS2. Game play is easy to control, survival is not. This is good, too many games of today are way too easy and boring. Maximo is humorous as well, battle hundreds of undead collecting a gold coin from each, save your cash and just on the brink of death when you need armor the most ...gamble you money on a "surprise" and end up buying yourself a custom pair of boxershorts sporting a "M" monogram, instead of the armor you wanted. Now your ready to die in style.

Although I end up playing most of this game with Maximo in boxershorts and teetering on the edge of death, this is a game I was happy to spend money on. The world of Maximo is huge and takes full advantage of the PS2 power. Great Game!


Over-all great game   July 6, 2002
Jimbo (USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I, despite what the others said think this game is a classic for PS2. It really irritates me when people complain about the camera angles when all they have to do is press L1 to change it to a better angle. The game is just a fun game to play for older or younger gamers. Saving your game can be a little irritating, especially when you have to leave, and you can't just save, but I enjoy the challenge. If you like adventure games, get it.


Capcom digs up glorious ghosts in MAXIMO   January 21, 2002
M.B. (Portland, OR)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

In the modern reincarnation of its classic side-scoller "Ghosts and Goblins", Capcom unearths fantastic gameplay in "Maximo: Ghosts and Glory". This game lives up to the hype. Fascinating graphics and sound effects immerse the player in an entertaining and challenging game environment. If you're a fan of Crash Bandicoot or other games in the 3D-3rd-person genre, check out this game! Capcom regains its title as the undisputed king of console-gaming fun.